Shaking grate



(No Model.)

J. R. MURPHY. Shakmg Grate Patented May 17, I881.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. MURPHY, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHAKING GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,696, dated May 17, 1881.

Application filed February 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. MURPHY, of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shaking Grates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention is a grate for fire-places and stoves, havin g, in addition to a stationary grate, an intermeshing oscillating or rocking grate hung upon or in the stationary grate.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improvement, I will now describe it by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a perspective View of my improved grate, the fire-front being cut away on one side. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the basket, and Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the oscillating basket, and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the stationary basket.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

The grate is composed of two baskets, a and 1), preferably of semicircular form. The basket a is composed of end pieces, a, front and rear top rails, a a and grate-bars or. The

grate-bars a are far enough apart to permit the bars of the swinging grate to be placed between. Thebasket bis composed of end pieces,

1), front and rear top rails, b If, and grate-bars Z). In the basket a the top rails are on the outside of the bars a and in the basket b they are on the inside of the bars D The basket I) is provided with a journal, 0, at each end, which rests in a bearing, (7-, in the end pieces,a', which bearing is preferably entered by a suitable slot, 6.. When the basket b is in position its bars b are between the bars a of the basket a, the inner faces of the bars being prefer ablyin the same horizontal plane, and the bars being preferably parallel, not only when at rest, but when the basket I) is oscillating.

On the front rail, W, is a flange, 11 which extends over the front rail, c of the stationary basket a, and is designed to limit the backward oscillation of the grate b, and to sustain it in position when at rest.

On one of the bars a is a stop, a which, by contact'with the back rail, 1)", limits the forward swing of the basket b. The basket b is oscillated by means of a poker or hook inserted into a hole or eye, 6, in or projecting from one of the bars I).

On the back rail, of, is a shield or skirt, g,

which extends over and down in front of the back rail, b to prevent the coal and cinders from lodging on the top of the rail 1) and the back ends of the bars b when the basket b is oscillated, and thereby clog the grate and keep the basket from oscillating. On the inner surface of the grate-bars a and b are projections h h, out of line with each other, so that in the oscillation of the basket 1) they will work past each other and break and stir up the fuel and cinders in the grate; or, if desired, a bar, *5, may extend longitudinally at the middle of the basket I), being attached to the bars I), and this will operate also to stir up the fuel in the grate; but it lacks the shearing action of the projections h h.

The grate is provided with pins It, by which it is hung in the notches m of the fire or stove front m in the usual way.

An ornamental top, a, may be made on the basket b, which may also be useful inincreasing the height and capacity of the grate.

The baskets and other parts may be made by casting, and the form of the parts and details of construction may be varied to suit the circumstances of any particular use or the taste or ideas of the constructor. I have shown and described the general principle and form of my grate.

If desired, the front sides of the bars may be vertical, instead of curved, or the baskets may be more nearly square.

The stops (0 b may be arranged on any other suitable part of the baskets.

The operation of my grate is as follows: The

basket I) is oscillated, as described, and opens' up the fuel below by rolling it in the basket a with substantially the motion used in a washing-cradle or a sitter, causing the smaller particles to go to the bottom and the larger ones to the top. At the same time the basket a sustains the weight of the fuel and renders the oscillation of the basket 1) easy. When the projections h h are used, or the grate-bars are not arcs of the same circle, there is, in addition to the rocking, a shearing or stirring action, which facilitates the clearing out of dust, 860- What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Afire-place or stove grate composed of a stationary basket, and an oscillating basket 5 pivoted centrally in or on the stationary basket, so that its bars shall oscillate between the bars of the stationary grate, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A grate composed of a stationary basket 10 and an oscillating intermeshing basket, provided with alternately-arranged internal projections, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A grate composed of astationary basket, I 5 and an oscillatin gintermeshin g basket pivoted 

